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Climate and Security Advisory Group: Briefing Book for a New Administration

The Climate and Security Advisory Group (CSAG): Briefing Book for a New Administration

The CSAG is a voluntary, non-partisan group of 43 U.S.-based military, national security, homeland security, intelligence and foreign policy experts from a broad range of institutions. The CSAG is chaired by the Center for Climate and Security in partnership with the George Washington University’s Elliott School of International Affairs. In the fall of 2016, the group released a briefing book calling on the next President and key cabinet members to “comprehensively address the security risks of climate change at all levels of national security planning.” From two CSAG members:

“The national security community has focused on the intersection of climate risk and security for over a decade. The conclusions are clear: climate risks are accelerating in their likelihood and severity. The next administration, whomever is elected, has the duty and obligation as Commander in Chief to manage this risk in a comprehensive manner.” – Rear Admiral David Titley, US Navy (ret)

“As our Director of National Intelligence recently stated: ‘in the coming decades, an underlying meta-driver of unpredictable instability will be…climate change.’ That’s why we’re recommending that the next Commander-in-Chief take a comprehensive approach to combating climate change and its impact on U.S. national security, defense and foreign policy interests.” –Hon. Sherri Goodman

The CSAG’s recommendations include:

Assigning a cabinet-level official to lead on domestic climate change and security issues;

Establishing senior climate security leadership within the offices of the National Security Advisor and Secretary of Defense

Directing the Secretary of Homeland Security to develop a National Adaptation and Resilience Strategy